- ANC provincial secretaries have until Thursday to submit a list of those who are implicated in criminal activity.
- Ace Magashule wrote to provincial secretaries, expanding the scope of those who would be asked to step aside.
- He said the list must include those criminally charged and those accused of corrupt practices.
Embattled ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule has written to the party's provincial secretaries to ask them to compile lists of ANC members who are not only criminally charged, but allegedly "implicated in corrupt practices".
Provincial leaders have until the close of business on Thursday to submit their lists to Magashule's office, according to a letter which News24 has seen. This comes as the deadline looms for those who are criminally charged to step aside.
In the letter, the secretary-general's office said:
It appears that the letter broadens the scope of
those who are affected by the ANC's step-aside decision from those who have
been criminally charged to all ANC leaders tainted by corruption.
"The NEC (national executive committee) meeting on 26-28 March 2021, reaffirmed the resolutions of the 54th national conference, fighting crime and corruption and on credibility and integrity, as well as decisions of NEC meetings on 28-30 August and 6-9 December 2020 on the implementation of these resolutions," the letter read.
Last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the NEC had given those who are charged with corruption 30 days to step aside from their positions or face suspension.
The decision applies to Magashule himself. He is out on R200 000 bail and is facing fraud and corruption charges.
At the time, Ramaphosa said: "Provincial chairpersons and secretaries would meet with the national officials during that time to further refine the guidelines to ensure the resolution can be effectively and practically implemented."
But whether the guidelines the NEC adopted were refined by the provinces remains to be seen.
It is also unclear whether party leaders, including Magashule, will comply by stepping aside from their positions by the end of the month.